Louis Vuitton unveiled its Cruise 2023 (Resort 2023) collection for men that explores the theme of coming of age through the mindset of a young musician.
Virgil Abloh, in his lifetime, used to present the pre-season lineups for Louis Vuitton, an opportunity for him to play on the brand’s famous logo and bring a more casual – than on runways – spirit to the collections.
Thematically designed by Virgil Abloh before his sudden death last November, the collection was “carried out by the creative teams and collaborators with whom he continually worked at Louis Vuitton”.
The collection, comprising 43 looks and divided into two parts, “The Concert Goer” and “The Music Student”, explored the wardrobe during the experimental phase of a young musician’s life, before transitioning into an adult world.
The first chapter, titled “The Concert Goer”, guided us through an exploration of the premise of childhood with oversized silhouettes, meant to evolve over time. They were loosely inspired by thrift store finds, while the second part, “The Music Student”, included garments, especially suits, that were more tailored and invigorated with new details and codes borrowed from sportswear.
Many of Abloh’s signature patterns returned in this collection, such as tie-dye on denim and fleece, butterfly intarsia on knitwear, and an updated iteration of his favorite “Hybridtooth” pattern, symbolizing freedom, found on a gray skirt suit and tracksuit, for example.
The collection was completed by the house’s Skate Trainers in off-white and red variations, equipped with an oversized tongue and chunky laces, and a line of bags with Louis Vuitton logos treated like graffiti in cast ink.
©Louis Vuitton
